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  • March 26, 2023

Savvy Solos, Saucy Speakers and Super-Sized Learning

February 24, 2014 by Karen Swim

The 2014 Solo PR Summit was an experience that I will forever cherish. It was billed as a one-of-a-kind event and it delivered. I have had the pleasure of working with Kellye Crane for about a year and she never ceases to amaze me with her smarts, passion and innovation.

Solo PR Summit

2014 Solo PR Summit

The Solo PR Summit was truly designed for independent practitioners. Yet, what made it over the top special was the attendees. I felt like I was truly among my tribe. Everyone from the speakers to attendees was welcoming and gracious. Knowledge and tips were freely shared, and no question was too small to be answered.

The top notch speakers over-delivered on their content but they were equally engaged participants. I cannot think of another event where the speakers remain throughout the conference actively listening and participating in all the sessions. Below are a few of my takeaways from this year’s summit:

Face time is valuable. I am a big believer in continuous learning but the Summit reinforced the value of in-person events. Nothing replaces the back and forth of face-to-face communication. You are using all of your senses and I believe it facilitates internalizing what you are learning. This summit had the added bonus of lots of opportunities to break bread, raise a glass or share a moment with really smart people.

Professional development is a two-way street. As we plan our professional development for the year it is often with a view of “what’s in it for me?” We want to invest our time and resources in ways that will offer the highest return. However, the summit reminded me that professional development is give and take. I learned but I also had the opportunity to share with others. As we share our own learning is reinforced.

Iron sharpens iron. There was tremendous value in being with people who have an independent practice or small business. I was enriched in a much different way than colleagues who work in corporate settings. We operate from a similar foundation and uniquely understood the challenges of triumphs of being solo professionals. I was pushed out of my comfort zone by what others were doing (hey they’re solo and they’re doing it, so I can too!) as well as encouraged by learning that some of my practices were on target (woo hoo I’m doing it right!).

We all need a shot of truth. I am done making excuses. I have pleaded cobbler’s kids’ syndrome so often because I did not put myself and business on my own agenda. Thanks to Shelly Kramer I now think “shame on the cobbler for neglecting his own when they should have been the best-heeled children of all!” Our own “house” should reflect what we offer to others. It is no longer humorous to plead “too busy with client work” as an excuse for not actively doing what I preach to others.

Lauren Vargas

Lauren Vargas – Solo PR Summit

Event organizers deserve combat pay. I had a seat behind the curtain and had the chance to see the myriad of details of pulling off a 2-day conference. I have been involved in facets of event planning but it pales in comparison to what Kellye Crane had to do to make the 2014 Solo PR Summit a reality. I have a new respect for people who are so passionate about enriching others that they tackle the task of organizing an event. There are so many details to be tended to and even with careful planning there are a multitude of things that can and do go wrong.

I highly recommend getting outside of your silo and investing in professional development. Even when you think you know it all, you have the opportunity to learn more.  I further encourage you to add at least one in-person learning opportunity each year. Go with a sponge mindset ready to absorb all that you can. The investment you make will pay off in your business many times over.

How about you. what’s on your professional development calendar this year? What do you most value about in-person events?

Read these other posts about the Solo PR Summit:

  • The 7 Commandments of the Solo PR Summit
  • Wildcards, Snowballs and Other Key Takeaways from the Solo PR Summit

Filed Under: Insights Tagged With: 2014 Solo PR Summit, Kellye Crane, professional development, Shelly Kramer

Meme Mashup

December 18, 2008 by Karen Swim

Silly Rus'

Image by FL4Y via Flickr

Written by Karen D. Swim

I was tagged by the uber talented Ann Handley a few weeks ago for a meme.  Ann is the Chief Content Officer of Marketing Profs, a sought after speaker, a masterful storyteller and one of the nicest people you will ever meet.  Ann did a twist on the meme and shared journal entries. I was delighted to comply with Ann’s request so I searched for something interesting to share about myself. I came up with…nothing, so l procrastinated. Weeks passed and the meme swept through the blogosphere picking up friends along the way. The delightful Kellye Crane picked it up and sent it my way, and now the task is 7 things.  I can’t ignore two of my most favorite people in the world and as Amy Derby hilariously wrote, “I’m doing it now before someone upgrades the request to 101.”

  1. I’ve been tagged twice for this meme, oh right you know that now. I have never broken a bone. I did not steal this from Mack Collier, okay in a way I did because he revealed it in his meme and it’s true for me too. But it’s weird right? Does this mean I’ve played it too safe?
  2. I do a wicked impression of Billy Bob Thornton’s grunt in Sling Blade. It is one of my favorite things to do and sends me into a fit of giggles every time. Oh c’mon you make yourself laugh too, admit it.
  3. I go through periods of loving and eating the same food everyday. My current addiction is veggie dogs. I eat them daily, lunch or dinner, sometimes both. This has been going on for several months now, my previous addiction was cereal (which I still love). No person or animal is ever harmed in my addiction, so it’s all good.
  4. I used Oprah’s list as my anti-reading list. Once I bought a book that didn’t have that Oprah label thingy and I was really upset to discover it was on her list. I felt like I’d been secretly inducted into a club to which I did not want to belong.  I have nothing against Oprah but you know the whole legions of fawning fans thing kind of creeps me out.  Maybe it’s that early encounter with the hippie cult people…
  5. I hate shopping. Not a fan of mall browsing, window shopping, even web surfing. My motto for shopping is get in and get out as fast as you can. The last time I visited a mall was two years ago and I think I broke a record for in and out times. There are exceptions though, I could spend all day (well maybe not all day but a whole bunch of hours) in a sporting goods, electronic or book store.
  6. I can’t take Jamie Foxx seriously as a sex symbol or singer.  I mean, Hello,  the man did make Booty Call.
  7. I watch Everybody Loves Raymond every week night before I go to sleep. I set the timer on the TV because I like to fall asleep laughing. Yes, I’ve probably seen every episode but it still cracks me up.

Well there you have it useless bits of trivia about yours truly. So, now I’m supposed to torture tag someone else. If you want to play along, consider yourself tagged. 🙂 If you just want to share something strange, funny or you know heartwarming in the comments, feel free.

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Filed Under: Wild and Wacky Tagged With: Ann Handley, Kellye Crane, meme

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